Marketplace Fairness Act is a no-brainer

Frank H. Conlon/For The Star-LedgerVarty recently traveled to D.C. to talk with representatives from Sen. Menendez and Sen. Lautenberg about a bill called the Marketplace Fairness Act. The bill would require states to collect sales tax from online sellers.

The Marketplace Fairness Act requires online retailers to charge sales tax for products shipped to other states (“Fighting for sales tax fairness,” Dec. 4). Recognizing that the decision-makers are the same folks who brought us the deficit supercommittee, this should have been a no-brainer years ago.

Many state budgets have been decimated by the latest Great Recession, with reduced income tax revenue and federal government cutbacks. Lost sales tax from online sales is adding insult to injury. Overlooked is that consumers who are saving on the sales tax are breaking the law.

New Jersey residents are required to report such amounts as Use Tax on their annual state income tax return.

So not only will the law supplement state budget gaps, it will enable so many of our citizens to become law abiding.